16 Mistakes Urban Preppers Make

The fact is, when it comes to preparing for emergency situations, urban preppers have a totally different set of things to consider than rural and suburban preppers do.

That’s because urban preppers have a ton of different space and legal restrictions, and everything from their self-defense tools to their threats can look polar opposite from someone who lives out in the country.

However, Survival Frog’s mission is to equip every prepper with the knowledge and resources it takes to survive – even those who are living in the city.

16 Mistakes Urban Preppers Make

1 – Not Having An EDC

An emergency can happen at any time of day, and in any location. That’s why it’s imperative you carry an EDC (EveryDay Carry) with you at all times to prepare you for anything.

This can include compact self-defense tools, multi-tools, first-aid supplies, lighting gear…anything that could help you out in an emergency. Below are some examples:

Want more info on what to carry? Click here to discover what survival tools a Navy SEAL thinks is best for an urban area.

2 – Disregarding Your Multi-Vitamin

The beauty of a multi-vitamin is its ability to give you the essential amounts of minerals and vitamins your body needs to thrive. However, the act of taking these pills often falls by the wayside once preppers find themselves in a crisis.

Keep your strength up and take your multi-vitamin every day, whether you’re in an emergency situation or not. Your body will thank you, and the health boost the vitamins give you will help push your body forward when other preppers can’t keep moving.

3 – Not Prepping For Your Pets

If you plan on bringing little Fluffy or Spot with you in an emergency, you’re going to have to prep for them, too. And yes, that means MORE than simply putting food into a ziploc bag.

Here’s some extra preps that will keep your pets happy during your next bug out trip:

4 – Not Prepping Your Car

First off, it’s imperative you constantly make sure you have enough gas in your tank to drive for long distances – and that means filling your tank ALL the way up (not just halfway).

It’s also important to consistently fill up the tank completely when it’s at the halfway mark. After all, it’s just as easy to fill it up at the half-way mark as it is on the “empty” mark!

Second, you need to always be prepared for a dead battery; make sure you have working jumper cables and a phone charger that doesn’t require your car’s power in order to work. We highly recommend our incredibly smart Pocket Jumper for this.

5 – Not Having A Home Security System

Now I’m not saying you have to spend hundreds of dollars on a fancy security system, but you MUST have a way to protect yourself (and your home) from an invasion.

This includes installing deadbolts, attaching motion-sensing lights to the ceiling near the door, and installing a compact alarm system that makes loud noise when your house is broken into.

You can even use a portable Door Stop Alarm, which will stop a robber in their tracks by emitting an ear-splitting alarm.

6 – Not Knowing How To Deal With Rioters

You can be that once SHTF, people are going to be angry and will start rioting in the streets. This swarm of people can be terrifying for many preppers, especially those who don’t know how to act amongst the enormous crowds.

Want to know how to survive civil unrest, looters, and riots once SHTF? Click here for details.

7 – Not Planning Out An Escape Route

Surviving an SHTF situation often means planning out your steps beforehand – and that includes your plans to escape. Get a city map, and figure out various ways to escape from your building – these should include taking back alleys and side streets in case the main roads can’t be used.

8 – Not Being Able To Purify Water

Urban preppers can’t afford to depend on their pipes for clean water; after all, not only could the pipes break and stop running water altogether, but your tap water could become contaminated in a crisis, rendering you and your loved ones at the hands of dehydration.

Always have a water purification plan on-hand, and utilize survival tools that can purify water on-demand in a crisis. That way, you’ll never be without life-saving H2O in an emergency.

Here’s some life-saving survival tools that will make getting pure drinking water a whole lot easier in an emergency:

9 – Being A Chatterbox

Talking too much can really put you in danger once SHTF – especially when you’re talking about your preps.

Not only are the walls thin in many apartments (leaving your neighbors privvy to everything you’re saying), but your conversations are also bound to be overheard by others on the street when you’re at a coffee shop or local market.

My advice? Keep your voice low, and only speak with trusted individuals that you know will be in your bug out party. After all, you don’t want someone to find out what you have…and then steal it for themselves.

10 – Relying On A Firearm As Your Only Weapon

I’m continually surprised at how many urban preppers think they can solely depend on their firearm to help them survive. Most of them think that, once SHTF, they’ll have to use their gun as their only defense option to help keep themselves and their families alive.

However, firearms have many drawbacks in an urban environment; for one, they’re practically useless for hunting around the city. Plus, shooting it (or even drawing it out) will direct everyone’s attention onto YOU.

Think about it – the more people that know you have a gun, the more that will want to keep it for themselves. NOT good.

You’re better off using low-key survival tools that are easy to hide and that won’t draw near as much attention. We recommend the following:

11 – Refusing To Bug Out

Bugging out is often a necessity when you live in an urban environment; that’s because staying in the city (or in your building) makes it almost impossible to survive. After all, you can’t grow your own food in the city, nor can you hunt or find alternate water sources.

You’ll also be putting yourself in more danger by staying, since civil unrest and riots will typically follow, putting countless people in danger of becoming hurt, trampled, or even killed.

Also, if you think you can depend on the grocery store to save you, think again – the shelves will be emptied in three days max, and even the supplies you do retain will run out shortly afterward.

Do yourself a favor and have a bug out location in mind – something rural or even suburban – where there are less people around and more opportunities for survival. Then get to it as soon as possible.

12 – Not Stocking Up On Food & Water

Although city-dwellers have far less space than rural folk to put their supplies, that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be stocking up.

It is imperative that urban preppers store at least three days’ worth of survival food (think canned, freeze-dried, and dry items like rice and beans) and emergency water in order to prepare for disaster.

Remember – you can NOT depend on the grocery store shelves to save you once SHTF – so you’ll need to prepare now so that you can survive when it does!

Here’s some awesome survival food and emergency water options you can add to your stockpile in order to prepare for emergencies:

13 – Using Your Space Incorrectly

It’s no surprise that urbanites have the least amount of space of any other type of prepper; however, not using this valuable space efficiently is what causes a lot of people problems in an emergency.

First, many preppers are content to leave boxes, clothes, and other items scattered all over the floor. This has to change immediately. You’ll want to keep all walkways and hallways clear – this way, if you need to get out in an emergency, you can get out FAST without tripping over things (and potentially hurting yourself).

Second, keep your food/water/ammo preps stored in pantries, closets, and other storage spaces for safe keeping. These will not only keep them out of the way, but will also ensure they’re hidden from others so that prying eyes don’t become aware of your preps.

Third, use the space you do have (such as in the doorway) to install an alarm system so that you can be notified when an intruder comes to your home.

14 – Not Gaining Any Survival Skills

Weapons, food, and water are immensely helpful in a survival situation…but they can only take you so far. That’s why it’s crucial to have a set of survival skills what will help you survive.

Survival skills such as gardening, snare/trap setting, first-aid/medical treatment, and bartering can seriously come in handy in an emergency – especially when you’re forced to bug out.

Want to learn about the other survival skills you’ll need? Click here.

15 – Not Being In Shape

Being a couch potato may come in handy during weekend-long Netflix binges, but it will NOT save your life in a crisis. Use the urban environment to your advantage and go to the local gyms and self-defense classes in order to get yourself in shape. The strength, muscle, and endurance you gain will only help you in a crisis.

16 – Not Preparing For A Variety Of Emergencies

Too many preppers only prepare for one disaster scenario, instead of thinking ahead and considering all the other emergencies that could occur.

The best way to prep is to prepare for a variety of emergency situations that could happen in your area (such as looters, rioters, home invasion, tornados, floods, earthquakes, power outages, etc.) – that way, you’ll have what you need to get you through any emergency.

Keep in mind you can also learn A LOT about how to survive from reading books and watching DVDs on specific subjects (like the ones below):

BONUS – Not Knowing Your Urban Survival Strategies

Another major mistake urban preppers make is not being aware of the survival strategies they can utilize once SHTF. These strategies are unique to urbanites, and using them could literally make the difference between life and death in a crisis.

Watch the videos below to learn about some of the survival strategies you absolutely must know about when SHTF:

Although many urban preppers have made mistakes in the past, that doesn’t mean they can’t make things right and equip themselves now for what’s up ahead.

Survival Frog’s mission is to help every prepper (including city-dwellers) become prepared for ANY emergency that could occur. Click on the images in this blog to stock up on survival food, water, and gear today. Remember, it’s still not too late to prepare for an emergency!